Comments on: Blackjack and Texas Hold’em Poker Almost Ruined My Life – How to Get Gambling Addiction Help

By: Joe Cada

Joe Cada — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:00:49 +0000

Its better to have self control. In my country there was a bank employee with a high rank that had access to the money, he took 100.000 euros and went to the casino. Lost all of them, then tried to commit suicide. He didnt succeed and now he lives with those debts…

By: Bjorn

Bjorn — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:22:21 +0000

Thanks for highlighting the effects of online gambling. In my country the government has started with state owned casinos which is in my opinion really bad.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:25:17 +0000

I think that signing up for a program that can offer you some counseling regarding this issue will certainly help.

There was an old saying that gambling is not a problem unless you are losing money!

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:51:13 +0000

Wiwi: It’s not for me to say whether you are on the road to addiction or not. Poker can be seen as a sport, as there are many people who play simply for the challenge of the game. There are others who play professional poker and do quite well at it, and addiction is not a problem for them. Then there are people who don’t know how to handle gambling in any respect.

My advice for you is that if you decide you want to play, then be able to honestly assess your motives, abilities, and reasons for playing. If you ever feel the need to take a break, then take a break. If you can’t bear to go away from the game and feel you need to play, then you may in fact be addicted.

Best of luck

By: Wiwi

Wiwi — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:59:44 +0000

Hey I wanted to ask you a question mybe you can help me… I am 18 and I play texas holdem my mum is frustrated and she doesnt want me to cause she said it can turn into an addiction and I BELIEVE it can. But when I play I dont play for the money and we only play like $10 and use 2k chips for example and its only once a week. I like the feel when ur in though hands trying to get reads on your opponent, trying to calculate their bet patterns and pot odds. Do you think I am on the road of becoming an addict cause I mostly want to take it as a “sport” and I realy like this game cause I think it does require skill compared to other gambling games.

By: DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad

DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:11:35 +0000

Congrats on turning your life around– stay strong each and every day.

By: Kristy @ Master Your Card

Kristy @ Master Your Card — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:25:03 +0000

Thanks for sharing your story, Hank! I’ve always wondered where the addiction really comes into play for most people. I went to a casino in Louisiana and lost $5 at the slot machine and that was enough for me. I’ve played the lottery a handful of times, most of those times I have been fortunate enough to win enough to cover the cost of the ticket and then enough for another ticket or two.

I definitely think there is a correlation between those who gamble religiously and finally make a big win, and squandering it away. Those people who win major lotteries that end up filing for bankruptcy do so because they never learned to manage money – obviously, as they bought lottery tickets instead of paying the bills. In your case, it sounds as if you were fortunate enough to have a family that was able to help you overcome your addiction.

By: Manshu

Manshu — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 02:10:59 +0000

WOW! There are professional gamblers!

By: Mr. ToughMoneyLove

Mr. ToughMoneyLove — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:19:49 +0000

The gambling rages non-stop among the poorest of our citizens through state lotteries. The worse things get, the more they seem to spend. It’s really almost criminal considering that most of the money goes to higher education which is right up there with health care as being hugely inefficient.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:50:05 +0000

rm:You and your pro friends are in a select minority of people, because let’s face it, the number of professional gamblers compared to the number of recreational gamblers is tiny. But I’m sure that works out well for you!

There is probably a higher percentage of pro players where you are (like minds find each other and also go where gambling is legal), and you surround yourself with a higher percentage of people who have learned how to recognize when they are on their A game and when they have the edge. This article is not aimed toward pro gamblers, and I have no problem with gambling for recreation or as a profession.

But I’m sure you and your friends have known people who lost their edge or never had it to begin with. Those people are who this article is aimed toward. For the general population or people who have no learned to recognize their abilities when it comes to gambling, this quiz is probably spot on.